Phoenix Mercury Offseason Overseas Update: Week 10

February 3, 2017

Candice Dupree | Forward #4 | ZVVZ USK Praha (Czech Republic)

Since arriving in the Czech Republic, USK Praha has gone 8-0 with Candice Dupree on its roster, despite her only playing in five of those games. After missing three-straight games, Dupree returned to shoot six-of-seven from the field en route to a 12-point performance in Praha’s 96-47, EuroLeague, win on January 25. She followed up that outing with 11 points and five rebounds on February 1 in another Praha, EuroLeague, win. Through five games overseas (both EuroLeague and ZBL League combined), Dupree is averaging 11.6 points and four rebounds per game, while shooting 58.1-percent from the floor.

Upcoming Games This Week: February 5: ZBL League, USK Praha at Karlovy Vary; February 8; EuroLeague, USK Praha vs. Dynamo Kursk, Free live stream available at https://www.youtube.com/FIBA at 11:10 a.m. Phoenix time.

Brittney Griner | Center #42 | UMMC Ekaterinburg (Russia)

Brittney Griner helped in extending UMMC Ekaterinburg’s win streak to 20-straight games, as the team won its last four games by an average margin of victory of 45 points. Griner scored in double-figures in all four games, and has now scored 10 or more points in eight-straight outings. After shooting a perfect six-for-six from the field for 14 points on January 22, the Olympic gold medalist finished with 20 points and three blocks in Ekat’s 103-40 win three days later after shooting 88.9-percent from the field. Griner continued to have a hot hand over the next two games, scoring 25 points on nine-of-12 shooting on January 29 and finishing with 14 points on six-of-12 shooting on February 1. The two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year has found her stroke at the free throw line as well, sinking 15-straight from the charity stripe over the last four games. Griner continues to lead the EuroLeague in blocks per game (2.4), but also ranks fourth in free throw percentage (87.5), third in field goal percentage (60.2) and fifth in scoring per game (16.1). On February 2, she was named Europe Player of the Month for January by eurobasket.com after averaging 19.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in seven games, while shooting 70.7-percent from the field.

Upcoming Games This Week: February 4: Russian League, UMMC Ekaterinburg vs. Dynamo NR; February 7; EuroLeague, UMMC Ekaterinburg vs. ESBV, Free live stream available at https://www.youtube.com/FIBA at 7 a.m. Phoenix time.

Alex Harden | Guard #15 | Hapoel Zichron Maagan Michael (Israel)

Alex Harden and Hapoel Zichron Maagan Michael snapped a six-game losing streak on January 30, picking up the team’s first win since December 19. After finishing with 15 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in the Hapoel’s loss on January 23, Harden recorded a second-straight double-double in the win on the 30^th, finishing with 19 points, 14 rebounds and four assists. The Mercury guard and her team were unable to move their win streak to two, falling on February 2, 48-72. Harden recorded her third-straight double-double in the loss (fifth double-double in 13 games overseas) with 15 points and 11 rebounds. She continues to lead her team in just about every category, including minutes per game (38:04), points (16.7 ppg), rebounds (9.1 rpg), assists (4.8 apg) and steals (2.5 spg). Harden is one-of-two players in the Israeli League to rank in the top ten in points, assists, rebounds and steals per game.

Upcoming Games This Week: February 6: Hapoel Zichron Maagan Michael vs. Maccabi Ashdod

Sonja Petrovic | Forward #5 | ZVVZ USK Praha (Czech Republic)

After not playing in USK Praha’s blowout, ZBL League, win on January 21, Sonja Petrovic returned to help Praha in winning its last two EuroLeague games. For just the second time in the 20 games she’s appeared in, Petrovic failed to score in double figures in back-to-back games. After scoring just nine points on January 25, Petrovic was held to eight points on three-of-10 shooting, but grabbed seven boards in the three-point, Praha, win on February 1. Despite the low-scoring performances, Petrovic ranks third in the EuroLeague in scoring at 18 points per game, trailing only Diana Taurasi (19.5 ppg) and Yvonne Turner (19.7 ppg). Petrovic also ranks fifth in rebounding (8.9 rpg), eighth in three-point shooting (44.9-percent) and leads the league in free throw shooting at 92.7-percent. She continues to be on pace to become the only player in the EuroLeague to average at least 13 points and seven rebounds in each of the last four EuroLeague seasons (four players had averaged 13 points and seven rebounds in each of the last three EuroLeague seasons).

Danielle Robinson | Guard #21 | Mersin (Turkey)

Making her first appearance in the Mercury overseas report is newly acquired guard, Danielle Robinson. Robinson plays in Turkey for Mersin, which completes in both the KBSL League and the EuroLeague. Robinson has scored in double-figures in all but two of the 10 games she has played in overseas. She’s currently averaging 12.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in those games, while also adding two steals per contest. In EuroLeague play, the Mercury guard averages 12.4 points and 4.4 assists through four games, including a 15-point performance in Mersin’s 65-61, EuroLeague, win on February 1.

Upcoming Games This Week: February 4: KBSL League, Mersin at Abdullah Gul; February 9: EuroLeague, Mersin at UNI Gyor, Free live stream available at https://www.youtube.com/FIBA at 10 a.m. Phoenix time.

Diana Taurasi | Guard #32 | UMMC Ekaterinburg (Russia)

Diana Taursi scored 20 or more points in two of the last three games she’s appeared in with UMMC Ekaterinburg. The greatest women’s basketball player of all time knocked down seven of her 10 three-point attempts on January 22, leading to a 26-point performance in Ekat’s 117-72 win. Taurasi saw minimal time in the team’s next game, scoring just nine points (three-of-three from three-point range) in nine minutes, as Ekaterinburg cruised to an easy 103-40 win. After sitting out on January 29, Taurasi returned to the court to nail four three-pointers en route to a 20-point game on February 4. The four-time Olympic gold medalist also finished with four rebounds and three assists in the win. Taurasi currently ranks second in the EuroLeague in scoring at 19.5 points per game, trailing only Yvonne Turner (19.7 ppg). She ranks second in free throw percentage at 92.6-percent, trailing only Mercury teammate, Sonja Petrovic (92.7), and leads the league in three-point makes with 33.

Marta Xargay | Guard #10 | ZVVZ USK Praha (Czech Republic)

Marta Xargay continued to have consistent outings in her last two games with USK Praha. After sitting out in the team’s 108-41, ZBL League, win on January 21, Xargay returned to the starting lineup to score 12 points and dish six assists in Praha’s blowout, EuroLeague, win on January 25. In the team’s February 1 game, Xargay struggled shooting the ball, finishing three-of-10 from the field. She ended the game with seven points, five rebounds and four assists. Through 21 games overseas, Xargay is averaging 10.8 points and 3.5 assists per contest.